Paper roll storage device

ABSTRACT

A paper roll storage device includes a columnar container holding rolls of paper stacked such that the axes of the rolls are parallel to each other. The rolls of paper have center axial openings typically formed by a cardboard cylinder at the center used to support the paper. The container is generally rectangular in cross-section. One of the sides of the container has an opening near the top. The opening is large enough for a roll of paper to be inserted or removed from the container. A slot extends from the opening vertically downward along the front of the container. The rolls of paper are positioned and located in the cylinder so that the center axial openings face the slot.

BACKGROUND

Rolled paper (e.g. toilet paper and paper towels) is commonly used bypeople in the home and in other places. Rolled paper availability istypically desirable close to the location of use.

Toilet paper is dispensed, in general, close to the location of use.Toilet paper, however, is often stored some distance away from thedispenser and location of use. For example, toilet paper is commonlystored in cabinets such as cabinets under sinks, storage closets, linenclosets, basement storage, etc. Accordingly, when the roll of paper inthe dispenser is depleted, a replacement roll may be difficult toretrieve.

A number of conventional storage solutions involve axial stacking oftoilet paper over a rod on a stand. Another conventional storagesolution involves axial stacking of the toilet paper in a cylindricalcontainer. Additional conventional solutions involve adding storagecapabilities to paper dispensers. Each one of these conventionalsolutions, however, suffers from one or more of the followingdisadvantages: the paper is not protected inside a container and thepaper is difficult to remove from the storage device.

It remains desirable to have a storage paper storage device to hold andprotect a number of rolls of paper and from which a roll may be easilyremoved.

SUMMARY

The problems of conveniently storing paper rolls such as toilet paperare solved by the present invention of a paper roll storage device.

A paper roll storage device includes a columnar container holding rollsof paper stacked such that the axes of the rolls are parallel to eachother. The rolls of paper generally have center axial openings typicallyformed by a cardboard cylinder at the center used to support the paper.The container is generally rectangular in cross-section. One of thesides of the container has an opening near the top. The opening is largeenough for a roll of paper to be inserted or removed from the container.A slot extends from the opening vertically downward along the front ofthe container. The rolls of paper are positioned and located in thecylinder so that the center axial openings face the slot.

Embodiments of the present invention include a container having a base,a top, a front, a back, and two sides. The container is shaped andconfigured to hold a paper roll such that the axis of the paper roll issubstantially perpendicular to the front of the container. The storagedevice further includes an opening in the front of the container. Theopening is positioned close to the top of the container, and the openingis sized and configured to enable the paper roll to be inserted andremoved from the container. The storage device also includes a slotextending downward from the opening toward the base of the container.The slot exposes an axial hollow in the paper roll stored in thecontainer such that the paper roll is removable from the storage deviceby inserting a finger through the slot and into the axial hollow of thepaper roll and lifting the paper roll up and out of the containerthrough the opening. This embodiment has the benefit that the paper rollis easily removable from the container with only a single finger.

In an alternative arrangement, the container is shaped and configured tohold a plurality of paper rolls in a stack in which the axes of thepaper rolls are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicularto the front of the container. In this way, a plurality of paper rollsare made readily available from the storage container.

In a further alternative arrangement, the container includes a curvedbase shaped and configured to hold a paper roll. The curved baseaccommodates the curvature of the paper roll enabling a better fit of aplurality of paper rolls in the storage device.

In a further alternative arrangement, the paper roll storage deviceincludes a slot that has arcuate opening edges, and an arcuate end. Thecurved edges and end ease the process of extracting a roll of paper fromthe storage device.

In an alternative embodiment of the storage device, an upper portion ofeach side of the container has a concave curvature around the opening.This provides an enlarged access to the container enabling a roll ofpaper to be more easily inserted or extracted from the storage device.

Embodiments of the storage device have a variety of mounting methods. Ina first arrangement, wall-mounting fixturing is located on the back ofthe container. In a second arrangement, wall-mounting fixturing islocated on one of the sides of the container. In a third arrangement,the storage device includes a floor stand. In one embodiment of thefloor stand, parallel ridges are embedded in the base of the container.In a second embodiment of the floor stand, the storage device is fixedto a rigid rod attached to a base that is configured to rest on a floor.In a first arrangement, the base includes a rigid rod to hold thecontainer. In a second arrangement, the base includes a plurality offeet, e.g. four feet, one at each bottom corner of the container.

In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the storage deviceincludes a plurality of apertures in at least one of the sides, frontand back of the container. In an alternate arrangement, at least one ofthe sides, front, back, top and bottom is made of a stiff mesh material.Both the plurality of apertures and the mesh material embodimentsprovide additional ventilation for the storage device by providing forgreater air circulation through the container.

Embodiments of the storage device include embodiments made of variousmaterials. Some embodiments of the storage device are made of disposablematerials. The storage device may be made of a plastic material, wood,metal, ceramic, glass, paper or a combination of these materials. In onearrangement, the storage device is made of an air freshening paper.

Further alternative embodiments of the invention include at least oneadditional compartment for holding an air freshening substance or forholding moist towellettes.

The present invention together with the above and other advantages maybest be understood from the following detailed description of theembodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a paper roll storage deviceaccording to principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a paper roll storage device includingapertures according to principles of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of a paper roll storage device includingwall-mounting fixturing according to principles of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of an alternative embodiment of apaper roll storage device according to principles of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a paper roll storage device according toprinciples of the invention wherein the front of the device is made of amesh material;

FIG. 6 is a three dimensional view of another alternative embodiment ofthe paper roll storage device according to principles of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional view of a still further alternativeembodiment of the paper roll storage device according to principles ofthe invention;

FIG. 8 is a three-dimensional view of the paper roll storage device ofFIG. 1 including an alternative floor stand;

FIG. 9 is a three-dimensional view of a paper roll storage deviceaccording to principles of the invention wherein the device furtherincludes a compartment for air freshener;

FIG. 10 is a three-dimensional view of a paper roll storage deviceaccording to principles of the invention wherein the device furtherincludes a compartment for moist towellettes;

FIG. 11 is a three-dimensional view of an alternative embodiment of thepaper roll storage device according to principles of invention;

FIG. 12 is a front view of a paper roll storage device according toprinciples of the invention showing an alterative front opening;

FIG. 13 is a three-dimensional view of a paper roll storage deviceaccording to principles of the invention where the container has aremovable top;

FIG. 14 is a three-dimensional view of a paper roll storage devicehaving an alternative embodiment of a removable top; and

FIG. 15 is a three-dimensional view of a paper roll storage deviceaccording to principles of the invention where the container has a frontopening and a back opening.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed toward a device to enable storage ofrolled papers, such as toilet paper, conveniently. The paper rollstorage device includes a columnar container shaped and configured tohold paper rolls such that the axes of the paper rolls are substantiallyparallel to each other and also substantially perpendicular to the frontof the container. The container further includes an opening at the frontof the container where the opening is positioned close to the top of thecontainer. The opening is sized and configured to enable a paper roll tobe inserted and removed from the container. The container furtherincludes a slot extending downward from the opening toward the base. Theslot enables a paper roll to be removed from the storage device byinserting a finger through the slot and into a centered hollow of thepaper roll enabling the paper roll to be lifted up and removed from thecontainer through the opening.

FIG. 1 shows a paper roll storage device of the present invention inthree-dimensional view. The paper roll storage device 100 includes acontainer 105. The container 105 includes a bottom 110, a top 115, afront 120, a back 125, a first side 130 and a second side 135. Thecontainer 105 is columnar and is also substantially rectangular incross-section. The container 105 is shaped and configured to hold aplurality of paper rolls 140 such as rolls of toilet paper or in analternative embodiment, rolls of paper towels. One skilled in the artwill understand that other types of rolled paper may be stored in thepresent inventive device.

The paper rolls 140 are stacked inside the container such that the axes142 of the paper rolls 140 are substantially parallel to each other andsubstantially perpendicular to the front 102 of the container 105. Eachof the paper rolls 140 has an axial hollow 144 typically formed by acardboard tube around which the paper is wound.

The front 120 of the container 105 includes an opening 145 close to thetop 115 of the container 105. The opening 145 is shaped and configuredto allow a paper roll 140 to be inserted or removed from the container105. The front 120 of the container 105 further includes a slot 150extending downwardly from the opening 145 toward the base 110. At anopen end, the slot 150 has a first arcuate, or curved, edge 155 and asecond arcuate edge 160. The bottom 165 of the slot 150 is also arcuateand typically has a radius similar to the radius of the axial hollows144 of the paper rolls 140. The slot 150 provides access to the axialhollows 144 of the paper rolls 140.

Each of the sides 130, 135 of the container 105 has a top portion 170,175 having a convex curvature around the opening 145. The base 110 ofthe container is also curved and configured to hold a paper roll 140 toprovide a support for stacking as described above. The base 110 includesa first rib 180 and a substantially parallel second rib 185. The ribs180, 185 protrude below the below the base 110 to act as a bottomsupport or a floor stand, or a base, for the container 105. Thecontainer 105 may be made of any one of or a combination of materialssuch as plastic, wood, metal, ceramic, glass or paper. Any material orcomposite that provides sufficient support to hold the paper rolls inthe configurations described herein are considered to be suitable foruse in the present invention.

The storage device 100, as mentioned above, holds a plurality of paperrolls 140 inside the container 105 which provides a generally protectivecovering to the paper rolls 140. The opening 145 and the slot 150 alongwith the manner of stacking the paper rolls 140 inside the container 105allows a paper roll 140 to be easily removed from the container 105 whena paper roll 140 is needed. Essentially, a user needs to insert only onefinger through the slot 150 and into the axial hollow 144 of the topmostpaper roll 140 stored in the container 105. The user then lifts thepaper roll 140 up and above the slot 150 and then removes the paper roll140 from the container 105 through the opening 145.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the paper rollstorage device of FIG. 1. The front 120 of the container 105 includes aplurality of apertures 200 positioned in flower-like arrangements 205.The apertures 200 function as additional openings into the container 105to provide ventilation for the paper rolls 140 stored inside (not shownin this view). In other arrangements, the apertures 200 are located onthe sides 130, 135 of the container 105 or on the top 115 or bottom 110of the container 105. In alternative embodiments, the apertures may havedifferent shapes and also different arrangements from those shown inFIG. 2. Those skilled in the art will understand that the presentinvention is not limited to the aperture shapes, locations andarrangements shown here.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the paper roll storage device 100 of FIG. 1.The back 125 of the container 105 includes wall-mounting fixturing sothat the paper roll storage device 100 may be mounted to a supportstructure such as a wall. In the embodiment shown here, thewall-mounting fixturing includes two slotted openings 250 so that thecontainer may be hung from hooks, or alternatively, screws set into awall. Other fixturing configurations and other methods of mounting thestorage device 100 are possible. The present invention is not limited tothe mounting methods described here.

FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of an alternative embodiment of apaper roll storage device 300 according to principles of the invention.The paper roll storage device 300 includes a container 305. Thecontainer 305 has a bottom 310, a top 315, a front 320, a back 325 and afirst side 330 and a second side 335. The front 320 has an opening 340near the top 315 of the container 305. A slot 345 extends downwardlyfrom the opening 340 toward the bottom 310 of the container 305. In thisembodiment, the bottom 310 and sides 330 and 335 have no apparentcurvature. That is, the bottom 310 and sides 330 and 335 aresubstantially planar. The paper roll storage device 300 of FIG. 4, likethe paper roll storage device 100 shown in FIG. 1, enables a user toeasily remove rolled paper from the container 305 in the same way asdescribed above with regard to FIG. 1. The illustration is provided togive an understanding that the general principles described above applyto a simpler device.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the paper rollstorage device 100 shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the front 120 ismade of a meshed material 350. The meshed material 350 may be a plasticor a metal or any other material or composite such as plastic-coatedfiber that provides a structural mesh to form a portion of the container105. The bottom 110, the top 115 and the sides 130, 135 may be made of ameshed material 350 in alternative embodiments of the invention. Instill further alternative embodiments of the invention, the container105 may be formed by attaching a meshed material over an internal frame.The meshed material 350 provides some protection paper rolls stored inthe container 105 and also provides ventilation to the container 105.

FIG. 6 is a three dimensional view another alternative embodiment of thepaper roll storage device according to principles of the invention. Thepaper roll storage device 400 includes a container 405. The container405 includes a bottom 410, a top 415, a front 420, a back 425, a firstside 430 and a second side 435. The container 405 is columnar and isalso substantially rectangular in cross-section. The container 405 isshaped and configured to hold a plurality of stacked paper rolls 140.

The front 420 of the container 405 includes an opening 445 close to thetop 415 of the container 405. The opening 445 is shaped and configuredto allow a paper roll 140 to be inserted or removed from the container405. The front 420 of the container 405 further includes a slot 450extending downwardly from the opening 445 toward the base 410. The slot450 provides access to the axial hollows 144 of the paper rolls 140.

The first side 430 of the container 405 has a top portion 470 having aconvex curvature at the opening 445. The second side 435 issubstantially planar. The second side 435 includes wall-mountingfixturing so that the paper roll storage device 400 may be mounted to asupport structure such as a wall. In the embodiment shown here, thewall-mounting fixturing includes two slotted openings 475 so that thecontainer 405 may be hung from hooks, or alternatively, screws set intoa wall. Other methods of mounting the storage device 400 are possible.The present invention is not limited to the mounting methods describedhere.

FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional view of a still further alternativeembodiment of the paper roll storage device according to principles ofthe invention. The paper roll storage device 100 includes a container505. The container 505 is similar to the container 105 described abovewith regard to FIG. 1. The container 505 in the present embodimentcontains a larger plurality of paper rolls 140 than that describedabove.

FIG. 8 is a three-dimensional view of the paper roll storage device ofFIG. 1 including an alternative floor stand. The paper roll storagedevice 100 includes a container 105 having a floor support 550. A rigidpole 555 is secured at one end to the floor support 550 and at the otherend to the base 110 of the container 105. The floor support 550 andrigid pole 555 hold the paper roll storage device 100 at a convenientheight from the floor to enable convenient removal of the paper rolls140 from the container 105.

FIG. 9 is a three-dimensional view of an alternative embodiment of apaper roll storage device according to principles of the inventionwherein the device further includes a compartment for air freshener. Thepaper roll storage device 100 includes a container 105 as describedabove with regard to FIG. 1. The paper roll storage device 100 stores aplurality of paper rolls 140. In addition, the paper roll storage device100 includes a compartment 600 to hold an air freshening substance. Thecompartment 600 in this embodiment is attached at the base 110 of thecontainer 105, however, other arrangements are possible within the scopeof the invention. In a first arrangement, the compartment 600 isrefillable with new air freshening material. In a second arrangement,the paper roll storage device is considered disposable and the entirecontainer 105 is replaced with a new container and new air freshenermaterial. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, there is no airfreshener compartment 600. Instead, the container 105 itself is made ofan air freshener paper such as the air freshener paper available fromEMI Specialty Paper of Redding, Conn. In a further alternativeembodiment, the container 105 is made of scented plastic.

FIG. 10 is a three-dimensional view of an alternative embodiment of apaper roll storage device according to principles of the inventionwherein the device further includes a compartment for moist towellettes.The paper roll storage device 100 includes a container 105 as describedabove with regard to FIG. 1. The paper roll storage device 100 stores aplurality of paper rolls 140. In addition, the paper roll storage device100 includes a compartment 650 to hold moist towellettes. Thecompartment 650 in this embodiment is attached at the base 110 of thecontainer 105, however, other arrangements are possible within the scopeof the invention. In a first arrangement, the compartment 650 isrefillable with moist towellettes when the original supply is expended.In a second arrangement, the paper roll storage device 100 is considereddisposable and the entire container 105 is replaced with a new containerand new supply of fresh towellettes.

FIG. 11 is a three-dimensional view of an alternative embodiment of thepaper roll storage device of the present invention. The paper rollstorage device 700 has four sides 702, 704, 706, 708 wherein each sideis substantially without curvature. A first side 702 has an opening anda slot similar to those described above in other embodiments. A curvedtop 710 is attached to the sides 702, 704, 706, 708. This embodiment ofthe paper roll storage device 700 has a base made of a plurality of feet712, one at each corner. Only three of the feet are shown in the drawingas the fourth is hidden in this view.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a paper roll storage device showing analterative front opening. The paper roll storage device 750 has a frontside 752 that has an opening 754 through which rolled paper may pass sothat rolled paper can be inserted and removed from the storage device750. A slot 756 extends from the opening 754 where the slot 756 is wideat the interface with the opening 754 and somewhat narrower at thebottom away from the opening 765.

FIG. 13 is a three-dimensional view of an alternative embodiment of apaper roll storage device. The paper roll storage device 800 has foursides 802, 804, 806, 808. A removable top 810 is attachable anddetachable from the four sides 802, 804, 806, 808. In a firstarrangement, the top 810 is sized and configured to rest on the sides802, 804, 806, 808. In a second arrangement, the top 810 and sides haveattachment fixtures. One skilled in the art will understand that variousattachment fixtures are possible.

FIG. 14 is a three-dimensional view of a second alternative embodimentof a paper roll storage device having a removable top. The paper rollstorage device 850 is substantially rectangular in horizontalcross-section. Two sides 852, 854 are visible in this view of the device850. One side 852 includes a slot 856 that extends from a top edge ofthe side 852 vertically downward ending somewhere before the bottom ofthe device 850. A removable top 858 is shaped and configure to rest ontop of the sides of the device 850. The slot 856 enables a user to lifta roll of paper vertically out of the container.

FIG. 15 is a three-dimensional view of a paper roll storage deviceaccording to principles of the invention where the container has a frontopening and a back opening. The paper roll storage device 900 includes acontainer 105. The container 105 includes a bottom 110, a top 115, afront 120, a back 125, a first side 130 and a second side 135. Thecontainer 105 is columnar and is also substantially rectangular incross-section. The container 105 is shaped and configured to hold aplurality of paper rolls (not shown) such as rolls of toilet paper or inan alternative embodiment, rolls of paper towels.

The front 120 of the container 105 includes a first opening 145 close tothe top 115 of the container 105. The opening 145 is shaped andconfigured to allow a paper roll 140 to be inserted or removed from thecontainer 105. The front 120 of the container 105 further includes aslot 150 extending downwardly from the opening 145 toward the base 110.At an open end, the slot 150 has a first arcuate, or curved, edge 155and a second arcuate edge 160. The bottom 165 of the slot 150 is alsoarcuate. The slot 150 provides access to the axial hollows 144 of thepaper rolls 140. The back 125 of the container 105 includes a secondopening 902 and a second slot 904 substantially similar to the opening145 and slot 150 in the front 120 of the container 105.

Each of the sides 130, 135 of the container 105 has a top portion 170,175 having a convex curvature around the opening 145. The base 110 ofthe container is also curved and configured to hold a paper roll 140 toprovide a support for stacking.

The storage device 900 is able to hold a plurality of paper rolls insidethe container 105 which provides a generally protective covering to thepaper rolls 140. The openings 145, 902 and the slots 150, 904 along withthe manner of stacking the paper rolls 140 inside the container 105allows a paper roll to be easily removed from the container 105 when apaper roll 140 is needed. Essentially, a user needs to insert only onefinger through either of the slot 150, 904 and into the axial hollow ofa topmost paper roll stored in the container 105. The user then liftsthe paper roll up and above the slot 150, 904 and then removes the paperroll from the container 105 through one of the openings 145, 902.

As described above, the paper roll storage device of the presentinvention may be made of a plastic material, wood, metal, paper or acombination of these materials. Some embodiments, for example, thoseembodiments of the paper roll storage device made of plastic or paperare disposable.

It is to be understood that the above-identified embodiments are simplyillustrative of the principles of the invention. Various and othermodifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art whichwill embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spiritand scope thereof.

1. A paper roll storage device, comprising: a container having a base, atop, a front, and four sides where the container is shaped andconfigured to hold a paper roll such that the axis of the paper roll issubstantially perpendicular to the front of the container; an opening ina first side of the four sides of the container, the opening positionedclose to the top, the opening sized and configured to enable the paperroll to be inserted and removed from the container; and a slot in thefirst side, the slot extending downward from the opening toward thebase, the slot exposing an axial hollow in the paper roll stored in thecontainer, such that the paper roll is removable from the storage deviceby inserting a finger through the slot and into the axial hollow of thepaper roll and lifting the paper roll up and out of the containerthrough the opening.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the container isshaped and configured to hold a plurality of paper rolls in a stack inwhich the axes of the paper rolls are substantially parallel to eachother and perpendicular to the first side of the container.
 3. Thedevice of claim 1 further comprising a curved base shaped and configuredto hold a paper roll.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the slot has anend that is arcuate.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the arcuate slotend has a radius substantially matching a radius of the axial hollow ofthe paper roll.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the slot has a firstopening edge and a second opening edge and the opening edges are curved.7. The device of claim 1 wherein an upper portion of each side of thecontainer has a concave curvature around the opening.
 8. The device ofclaim 1 further comprising wall-mounting fixturing located on the backof the container.
 9. The device of claim 1 further comprisingwall-mounting fixturing on one of the sides of the container.
 10. Thedevice of claim 1 further comprising a floor stand to hold the base ofthe container.
 11. The device of claim 10 wherein the floor standfurther comprises two parallel ribs mounted in the base.
 12. The deviceof claim 10 wherein the floor stand comprises a plurality of feet. 13.The device of claim 10 wherein the floor stand further comprises: afloor support; and a rigid pole secured at a first end to the floorsupport, the rigid pole positioned substantially perpendicular to thefloor support, the rigid pole secured at a second end to the base of thecontainer.
 14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality ofapertures in at least one of the sides, front and back of the container.15. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the sides, front,back, top and bottom is made of a stiff mesh material.
 16. The device ofclaim 1 wherein the container is made of a plastic material.
 17. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein the container is made of a disposablematerial.
 18. The device of claim 1 wherein the container is made ofpaper.
 19. The device of claim 18 wherein the paper is an air fresheningpaper.
 20. The device of claim 1 having a compartment coupled to thecontainer, the compartment to hold an air freshening substance.
 21. Thedevice of claim 1 having a compartment coupled to the container, thecompartment to hold moist towelettes.